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If you still get your TV from over-the-air analog broadcast, you'll receive only static in less than a year - that is, unless you get a new TV or a converter box. The Washington Post's Rob Pegoraro says there's widespread confusion even though it's not that complicated.
Click here to get a coupon for $40 off a digital converter.
Over the air DTV is a HUGE step forward. I receive digital over the air and get about 15 or so HD TV channels that look better then most of my friends spending $50 bucks a month on Comcast.
Thats right- you just don't realize how pasty Conan is until you see him in 1080i.
However- you do need to get an outdoor antenna for like $80 at radio shack though...
Okay, so I’ll admit I may be somewhat of an unusual ludite. I have three CRT televisions! My NEWEST was manufactured in 1998, the middle one in 1985 and, the oldest (which is the only one that has ever been serviced) was purchased in the late 1970’s!! [BTW – all three are Sony & when I took the oldest to an Asian repair gentleman he all but bowed down and prayed to it.]
All three have some sort of “rabbit ears” as their receptors – I don’t believe in over priced cable feeds that
don’t even provide stereo broadcasts.
What am I expected to do? I feel that I am being forced unfairly into purchasing something that I have never needed. Not only that, but the Government [who forced me into this dilemma] only provides for two conversion boxes! Totally UNFAIR!
‘Just thought you’d want to know
I've heard one reason to get the coupon for the converter now is that the program has limited funding. Coupons have to be used within 90 days of issuance.
Called 1-2-08 for converter box coupons. Have not received yet..when are they coming?
A good story, but unfortunately the set-up only added to the "widespread confusion," since it contained at least two significant errors:
"On February 17th, 2009, now less than a year away, all analog television broadcasts [1] in the United States will stop. That means all TVs not receiving cable or satellite signals, all TVs that rely on old-fashioned set-top or rooftop antennas [2] suddenly will show nothing but static – you know, like this."
1)*Not* all, only full-power. Low-power stations and translators can and will continue in analog for at least several more years. Many rural viewers will still be all-or-mostly analog on Feb 18.
2)*Not* all, digital TVs (with ATSC tuners) using antennas will be just fine. They'll work the same on the 18th as they did on the 17th.
The date is probably more precisely stated as Feb *18* - the rules change at midnight between Feb 17/18. Feb 17 will be just like Feb 16; Feb 18 will not.
It's true that for most individual viewers the digital switch is not that complicated, but the number of "it depends" situations may be large. The amount of misinformation and over-simplified explanations in the media is also substantial.
I'm involved in the DTV switch campaign at Oregon Public Broadcasting - there's probably another story for OTM about the job the media is doing in educating the country about this completely unprecedented event - an existing in-home technology made obsolete overnight by an external change.
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